Who sent Earl Percy present word With fifteen hundred bowmen bold, Who knew full well in time of need The gallant greyhounds swiftly ran And long before high noon they had The bowmen mustered on the hills, And all their rear, with special care, That day was guarded sure. The hounds ran swiftly through the woods, The nimble deer to take; That with their cries the hills and dales Lord Percy to the quarry went, To view the slaughtered deer; But if I thought he would not come, "Lo, yonder doth Earl Douglas come, All men of pleasant Teviotdale, Fast by the river Tweed :" "Then cease your sports," Earl Percy said, "And take your bows with speed: And now with me my countrymen, That ever did on horseback come, I durst encounter man for man, Earl Douglas on his milk-white steed, Rode foremost of his company, Whose armour shone like gold. "Show me," said he, "whose men you be, That hunt so boldly here, That, without my consent, do chase And kill my fallow-deer." The first man that did answer make, Who said, "We list not to declare, Yet will we spend our dearest blood, "Ere thus I will out-braved be, I know thee well, an earl thou art, But trust me, Percy, pity it were, Let you and me the battle try, Then stepped a gallant squire forth, B That e'er my captain fought on foot, You two be earls," said Witherington, "And I a squire alone : I'll do the best that do I may, His host he parted had in three, Throughout the English archery And throwing straight their bows away, They closed full fast on every side, In truth! it was a grief to see And how the blood out of their breasts At last these two stout earls did meet, Like captains of great might: Like lions wode, they laid on lode, And made a cruel fight: That e'er my captain fought on foot, You two be earls," said Witherington, "And I a squire alone : I'll do the best that do I may, His host he parted had in three, Throughout the English archery And throwing straight their bows away, They closed full fast on every side, In truth! it was a grief to see How each one chose his spear, And how the blood out of their breasts At last these two stout earls did meet, |